joe henderson-canyon lady

[Guest donald petersen]

is this album unfairly lumped in with more commercial efforts of the time period?

is it because the name george duke is in the credits?

does mark levine not make the blood boil?

the album would be even better if it were reissued with "in the beginning there was africa" or whatever the name of the track included in the henderson milestone box set is.

is this album just boring to most people?

i'm not saying i love it but i haven't heard anyone ever say that they like it or think it is a good joe henderson album.

i bet mike W likes it....

[freeform83]

is this album unfairly lumped in with more commercial efforts of the time period?

is it because the name george duke is in the credits?

does mark levine not make the blood boil?

the album would be even better if it were reissued with "in the beginning there was africa" or whatever the name of the track included in the henderson milestone box set is.

is this album just boring to most people?

i'm not saying i love it but i haven't heard anyone ever say that they like it or think it is a good joe henderson album.

i bet mike W likes it....

I really like this album! It completely lived up to my expectation of what a Joe Henderson "Latin" album on Milestone would sound like. In fact, if I were to make a mix CD of my favorite Joe Henderson, "Tres Palabras" would be on there without a doubt. It's wonderfully orchestrated and cool how different it sounds from the other stuff he was doing at the time. "Las Palmas" is just as good and the spacy electronic introduction is unexpected and cool. And "All Things Considered" (I believe that's the one) features a Latin percussion workout that also sounds unlike any other Henderson I have heard. By the time I get to this track, I end up wishing that this type of percussion had featured more prominently on the album up to that point.

So the bottom line is, I really like this album and I actually think it compliments the other Milestones quite well by adding to the diversity of the catalogue.

[JSngry]

Fine album. I like it plenty.

And a not unsexy cover:

[sidewinder]

Count me in as another who really likes this session.

I was bemused that it has got such lukewarm reviews - commercially sounding and 'of its time' yes but a sterling effort by Mesrs Henderson and Gasca. Nicely recorded too.

[mikeweil]

Well I think the recording could be better. But I love the music! I wore out a copy back then! Duke's Rhodes attachments provide a haunting atmosphere.

Great rhythm players - Carmelo Garcia, Victor Pantoja and Fancisco Aguabella are among the greatest!

[JSngry]

"Tres Palabras" is a beautiful song, btw. I first got exposed to it playing in Latin bands back in the day, where it was always sung. The lyrics, like so many those of so many boloeros, are viscerally passionate w/o being cheap. You can (and I have) fall in love to this stuff.

Check it out (translation, no doubt poor) is mine

Tres Palabras (by Osvaldo Farres)

Oye la confesion

de mi secreto, (Listen to the confession of my secret)

nace de un corazon

que esta desierto. (Born of of a heart that is a desert)

Con tres palabras

te dire todas mis cosas, (With three words, I will tell you all my things)

cosas del corazon

que son preciosas. (things of the heart that are precious)

Dame tus manos, ven,

toma las mias (Give me your hands, as I give you mine)

que te voy a confiar

las ansias mias. (I am going to confide these yearnings of mine)

Son tres palabras,

solamente mis angustias, (These three words hold all of my anguish)

y esas palabras son:

como me gustas. (And these three words are: Feel for me as I feel for you

If anybody can translate better, please do. But I think that'll gets the point across until something better comes along.

FWIW, I am in the habbit of requesting this song from local "mariachis" in the various Mexican restaurants I frequent. Very few of them know of the song, and of those who do, so far I've only found one or two that could actually play it. None could sing it. It's an old song, and quite popular among a certain age group, but definitely "of yesteryear". But damn is it gorgeous!

[mikeweil]

Tres Palabras is one of the most beautiful boleros I have heard!

One that comes close is the old danzón Angóa - but the mariachis won't be able to handle that one!

[JSngry]

Dude - listen to this: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...33:wcfoxmwkldte

Absolutely stopyou--dead-in-your-tracks romantic boleroistic beauty.

I'm buying the CD as soon as I can find it.

[JSngry]

Dude - listen to this: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...33:wcfoxmwkldte

Absolutely stopyou--dead-in-your-tracks romantic boleroistic beauty.

I'm buying the CD as soon as I can find it.

That was fast! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002W4SW...3076269-2590529

3 CD set for $13.00. Got the last one too! (but more on the way!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

This is my favourite Henderson album, not least because of "Tres palabras" - and thank you, Jim for the translation; I've never heard a vocal version. I've loved the song since hearing Coleman Hawkins playing it. Cal Tjader did a nice version, too, on "Huracan". But that Farres album looks very nice indeed. Think it's going on my endless list.

I think it's when Joe STOPS doing Hard Bop that I like him best (well, you know me).

MG

[JSngry]

This is my favourite Henderson album, not least because of "Tres palabras" - and thank you, Jim for the translation; I've never heard a vocal version.

You're certainly welcome!

I got exposed to a lot of those classic boleros playing a 5 hrs a night, six night a week Latin gig for a little less than a year back in the 70s. The cheese potential in a lot of them is pretty high, but done right, there is material ther that makes even the most "passionate" English-language love song sound like Barbie & Ken having a genital-less makeout session. But interpretation is everything (as is understanding the lyrics), and that means delivering the passion at face value, giving it the dignity of truly deep feeling and not succumbing to the wanton ejaculatory cheapness of one's fervor being raised past the point of self-control. That's the ticket for that stuff - conveying the sense of feeling the passion so deeply that you want to lose control, but not actually losing it, at least until the two of you are alone, out of sight, and out of the song. Burning passion combined with stoic dignity. Fire & ice, yin & yang. What's not to love?

Yeah, I'm into singers, and I'm into lyrics, and I'm into interpretation. And in the right hands, I'm definitely into classic boleros. How I got into jazz I'll never know. :g :g

(now if I could just find a copy of a song that was played nightly on the jukebox in that club, a bolero called "Mi Disgracia" (My Disgrace), hey, I would be happier than I already am...)

Edited July 15, 2007 by JSngry

[K1969]

.... and that means delivering the passion at face value, giving it the dignity of truly deep feeling and not succumbing to the wanton ejaculatory cheapness of one's fervor being raised past the point of self-control.

I hope you have a good dust cover

[kh1958]

Tres Palabras is one of the most beautiful boleros I have heard!

One that comes close is the old danzón Angóa - but the mariachis won't be able to handle that one!

I am similarly enamoured of Tres Palabras, as I have three versions in my itunes library--Bobby Hutcherson (from Skyline), Kenny Burrell with Coleman Hawkins, and Charlie Haden (Nocturne). I haven't run across a vocal version yet.

[JSngry]

I'm guessing that most vocal versions "worth" hearing would be in Spanish and also be no less than 35 or so years old. So proceed accordingly.

Have a gander: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...;sql=17:1595005

[JSngry]

Nat King Cole covered it vocally. In Spanish, of course (do "we" know about Cole's series of Spanish-language recordings?).

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...rm=frooglemusic

[kh1958]

I'm guessing that most vocal versions "worth" hearing would be in Spanish and also be no less than 35 or so years old. So proceed accordingly.

Have a gander: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...;sql=17:1595005

Recently covered by both Tania Libertad (from Peru, I think), and Iraida Noreiga (Mexico), both of whom I like, at least a little.

On the other hand, there's the vile Enrique Iglesias, to be avoided at all costs.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Nat King Cole covered it vocally. In Spanish, of course (do "we" know about Cole's series of Spanish-language recordings?).

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...rm=frooglemusic

Would that CD be material from "Cole Espagnol" and another I think was called "A mis amigos" or something?

MG

[JSngry]

Probably, but I couldn't say for sure.

Hey, I love Nat. Great singer. But his Spanish stuff just ain't happening for me. I appreciate the sentiment (apparently he had a lot of Spanish-speaking fans internationally and wanted to sing "to them". And no doubt it was an "extra sales potential" thing too). But hte guy sounds like he's singing the language phonetically. Not that he doesn't understand the words, I beleive he does. But he doesn't understand the language, the sound and phrasing of it. Compare him to somebody like Benny More or Tito Rodriguez (to name two "recognizable" names) singing in Spanish & it's no comparison as to who's getting "inside" the song and who's just "singing it". Great voice & still great phrasing, so long as you don't pay attention to the words and the language. Then, hey - he sounds like he's singing and phrasing Spanish words and songs like they're English words & songs. And they're not.

Which is cool, I mean, like I said, I love Nat's singing, almost all of it, just not the Spanish stuff. It's really not his "fault", but as long as it's on record, hey...

[jazzbo]

Nat speaking Spanish was a fantastic business move, probably the idea and plan of his manager Carlos Gardel. He was arguably the first "English Speaking" American to tour the Central and South American countries singing Spanish and he was very successful both critically and financially doing so, and he paved the way for many others singing in Spanish (and in English).

I agree that it's not the same as the work of others. But then again I also know it was popular even in the US among some markets. A work partner of mine told me his father was crazy about those two albums he did, and his father was of Mexican descent living in San Antonio all his life. . . . So. . .Nat's charisma carried him where his real knowledge of Spanish did not perhaps.

[skeith]

In my opinion, it is not a bad album, it is just that it pales in comparison to so many of his other efforts.

[JSngry]

In my opinion, it is not a bad album, it is just that it pales in comparison to so many of his other efforts.

Nat or Joe?

[Noj]

I dig Canyon Lady. It ain't Mode For Joe, but it's still Joe. I've yet to hear a Joe Henderson album I didn't like.

[skeith]

In my opinion, it is not a bad album, it is just that it pales in comparison to so many of his other efforts.

Nat or Joe?

I was referring to Canyon Lady.

[skeith]

"Tres Palabras" is a beautiful song, btw. I first got exposed to it playing in Latin bands back in the day, where it was always sung. The lyrics, like so many those of so many boloeros, are viscerally passionate w/o being cheap. You can (and I have) fall in love to this stuff.

Check it out (translation, no doubt poor) is mine

Tres Palabras (by Osvaldo Farres)

Oye la confesion

de mi secreto, (Listen to the confession of my secret)

nace de un corazon

que esta desierto. (Born of of a heart that is a desert)

Con tres palabras

te dire todas mis cosas, (With three words, I will tell you all my things)

cosas del corazon

que son preciosas. (things of the heart that are precious)

Dame tus manos, ven,

toma las mias (Give me your hands, as I give you mine)

que te voy a confiar

las ansias mias. (I am going to confide these yearnings of mine)

Son tres palabras,

solamente mis angustias, (These three words hold all of my anguish)

y esas palabras son:

como me gustas. (And these three words are: Feel for me as I feel for you

If anybody can translate better, please do. But I think that'll gets the point across until something better comes along.

FWIW, I am in the habbit of requesting this song from local "mariachis" in the various Mexican restaurants I frequent. Very few of them know of the song, and of those who do, so far I've only found one or two that could actually play it. None could sing it. It's an old song, and quite popular among a certain age group, but definitely "of yesteryear". But damn is it gorgeous!

I think the last line is better translated as "how much I love you" or " I love you very much"- there is nothing reciprocal in that last line.

[JSngry]

Thanks for that clarification about the lyrics.

The literal transaltion is, I believe "as I like", and that...just doesn't have any 'oomph".

But yes, the desire for reciprocality may or may not be implied in the overall lyric, and is probably best left out in the transalation. I agree.

Edited July 16, 2007 by JSngry